Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Lifestyle changes improve cognitive function in just two weeks...A report published in the June, 2006 issue of the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry revealed the conclusion of UCLA researchers that adopting a healthy longevity lifestyle program involving memory and physical exercises, an optimal diet, and stress reduction amounts to increased brain efficiency among its practitioners after 14 days.

The study included 17 men and women aged 35-69 with normal memory performance scores. Eight participants were assigned to the following daily regimen: memory exercises such as crossword puzzles and brainteasers to stimulate the brain, walks to improve physical fitness, five small meals per day including abundant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and low glycemic carbohydrates to provide an optimal diet, and daily relaxation exercises to manage stress and help decrease the release of cortisol, a hormone that can impair memory.

The remaining 9 participants practiced their usual lifestyle routines. The subjects completed cognitive performance tests and self-assessments of memory before and after the study period, and received positron emission tomography (PET) scans to evaluate regional cerebral metabolism during mental rest.

After two weeks, the group following the healthy longevity lifestyle program was found to have a five percent decrease in brain metabolism in working memory regions, which means that their brains did not have to work as hard to accomplish tasks. Participants in the improved lifestyle group also had better verbal fluency, which is controlled by the same brain region. The control group demonstrated no significant changes in any of the areas evaluated in the study.

Lead researcher Dr Gary Small, who is a professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior stated, "We've known for several years that diet and exercise can help people maintain their physical health and live longer, but maintaining mental health is just as important. The UCLA study is the first to show the impact of memory exercises and stress reduction used together with a healthy diet and physical exercise to improve brain and cognitive function."

"The research demonstrates that in just 14 days, simple lifestyle changes can not only help overall health, but also improve memory and brain function," Dr Small concluded. "Our next step is to assess the individual effects of each lifestyle strategy, which may help us develop an optimal combination.”

Christopher Wiechert, C.N.C.

Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility.

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Accidental overdoses and side effects from attention deficit drugs likely send thousands of children and adults to emergency rooms, according to the first national estimates of the problem.Scientists at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated problems with the stimulant drugs drive nearly 3,100 people to ERs each year. Nearly two-thirds — overdoses and accidental use — could be prevented by parents locking the pills away, the researchers say.Other patients had side effects, including potential cardiac problems such as chest pain, stroke, high blood pressure and fast heart rate.Concerns over those effects have led some doctors to urge the Food and Drug Administration to require a "black box," its most serious warning, on package inserts for drugs such as Ritalin, Concerta and Adderall. Yet even doctors advising the FDA don't agree on whether that's warranted.The issue was discussed in a series of letters in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine, including some from doctors worried about the dangers of not treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder."The numbers (of side effects) are puny compared to the numbers of stimulant prescriptions per year," said Dr. Tolga Taneli, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark. "I'm not alarmed."An estimated 3.3 million Americans who are 19 or younger and nearly 1.5 million ages 20 and older are taking ADHD medicines. Ritalin is made by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. of East Hanover, N.J.; Concerta by Johnson & Johnson of New Brunswick, N.J., and Adderall by Shire US Inc. of Newport, Ky.Twenty-five deaths linked to ADHD drugs, 19 involving children, were reported to FDA from 1999 through 2003. Fifty-four other cases of serious heart problems, including heart attacks and strokes, were also reported. Some of the patients had prior heart problems.Still, there hasn't been a clear estimate of the scope of side effects. The CDC report, while not a rigorous scientific study, attempts to provide that by using a new hospital surveillance network.From August 2003 through December 2005, the researchers counted 188 ER visits for problems with the drugs at the 64 hospitals in the network, a representative sample of ERs monitored to spot drug side effects.Doctors linked use of stimulant ADHD drugs to 73 patients with side effects or allergic reactions. Another 115 accidentally swallowed ADHD pills, including a month-old baby, or took too much."These are cases where a young child took someone else's medication or they took too much of their own," CDC epidemiologist Dr. Adam Cohen said of the second group.Nearly 1 in 5 patients was admitted to the hospital, 1 in 5 needed stomach pumping or treatment with medicines, and 1 in 7 had cardiac symptoms. Sixteen percent of the side effects involved interaction with another drug.Besides cardiac problems, common symptoms included abdominal pain, rashes and spasms, pain or weakness in muscles, according to Cohen. No patients died.Extrapolating to all U.S. hospitals, the researchers estimated 3,075 ER visits occur each year.In another letter in the journal, the heads of the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry wrote they are concerned a black box warning would discourage use of ADHD drugs, raising patients' risks of academic failure, substance abuse and other problems.This past February, an FDA drug safety advisory panel voted 8-7 for a black box warning. The next month, another FDA panel instead recommended data on cardiac and other risks go in a new "highlights" section the agency plans to add to the top of drug inserts.Dr. Marsha Rappley, pediatrics professor at Michigan State University, and two other doctors on the advisory panels believe the vote for a black box was premature.She said studies show the drugs raise blood pressure and pulse rates a bit, but it's unknown whether that would harm children taking them for years, and that cardiac risks may be higher for adults.Dr. Steven Nissen, cardiology chief at the Cleveland Clinic, who had pressed for a black box warning at the FDA panel meeting, said ADHD drugs are powerful stimulants and inherently risky. Nissen and other doctors say the drugs are being prescribed to some who don't need them.This week, the FDA said it is "working diligently" on "labeling changes that we feel accurately reflect the available data and the advice of the committees." The agency declined interview requests.

Comment: This is ridicules. In my opinion, and the opinion of MANY other health professionals, there is no reason to treat ADHD with harmful drugs. There have been many studies that show a diet low in refined carbs and artificial colorings, along with high doses of Vit B-Complex, Omega 3 Fatty Acids high in EPA/DHA and the trace mineral Zinc, are effective in correcting hyper active as well as attention deficit issues.

Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility.

Monday, May 15, 2006

People with higher levels of Magnesium, could reduce their risk of death from cancer by as much as 50 per cent, says a new study from France.The research, published in the journal Epidemiology (Vol. 17, pp. 308-314), reports from the Paris Prospective Study 2, a cohort of over 4,000 men aged between 30 and 60 at the start of the study.

After 18 years of follow-up 339 subjects had died, with 176 due to cancer and a further 56 from cardiovascular disease (CVD). Serum analysis of magnesium, copper and zinc levels showed that highest serum level of magnesium (0.85 millimoles per litre or more) compared to the lowest level (0.76 millimoles per litre or less) was associated with a reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality, death from cancer, and CVD of 40, 50 and 40 per cent, respectively. High serum levels of this mineral were also linked to a 40 per cent lower risk of all-cause mortality, and a reduction of similar magnitude for cardiovascular deaths.The research is important because dietary surveys show that a large portion of adults do not meet the RDA for magnesium, found naturally in green, leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains and nuts, and milk.

Comment: I recommend taking between 600 mgs to 800 mgs total in supplement form along with eating more green vegetables. High Fat Does NOT Increase Breast Cancer...Fat phobia may be the height of fashion but it is junk medicine according to researchers who studied 88,795 women over the course of 14 years. They found that there was not one sign that a high fat diet was in any way associated with breast cancer.Two very significant findings stand out:1. Those who consumed the most unsaturated oils had the most breast cancer.2, Those who consumed the most butter developed the least percentage of breast cancer.Stearic acid, a component of dairy fat, was thought to be the protective agent for inhibitingcancer. Go back to natural fats, particularly if you want to avoid breast cancer. Unsaturated oils are natural of course, but they have been denuded of their natural anti-rancidity protectant - vitamin E - during processing and thus change into a rancid product very quickly. Butter, olive oil, coconut oil and peanut oil are better in every way and DO NOT cause cholesterol levels to rise. Fat Facts...

HIGH-CARB DIET DOUBLES RISK OF BREAST CANCER...The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports a study that indicates women who got 62 percent of their calories from carbohydrates were 2.22 times more likely to develop breast cancer than those who diet was less than 50 percent carbohydrate. Researchers believe their findings are based on the fact that carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels which prompts a surge of insulin, causing cells to divide and produce more estrogen, both of which can lead to cancer.

Christopher Wiechert, C.N.C.

Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility.

Thursday, May 11, 2006

I spent the wee hours this morning reading a 63 page joint report by The British Society for Ecological Medicine and the Alliance for Natural Health on "The Pivotal Role for Natural Products in Countering an Avian Influenza Pandemic" The report was put together by some of the best scientists and doctors in the world on Alternative Health and Ortho-Molecular Medicine. Their report argues in favor of trying to prevent through self-treatment and potential reversing the out break of the H5N1 Avian Flu Virus ( Bird Flu), into the general public, by using targeted nutritional intervention as opposed to pharmaceutical drugs.

Although ultimately many people will have to be hospitalized, the report suggests that the chances of survival could be significantly improved by the prophylactic use of mainly 3 important nutrients and some important lifestyle changes. While Tamiflu may be the medical choice for treating the Bird Flu, it might make more sense to begin a natural program early in the spread of the virus, if and when it comes, to improve your immune systems ability to handle the attack on it's own.

The report was put together in the hopes that the World Health Organization would take the boards recommendations and educate the public on what they can do to have the best chance of survival.

Without getting too bogged down with the details mentioned in the 63 page report, here is what they are recommending people to do in the event the Avian Flu hits our shores and begins to replicate between humans.

Several key micro-nutrients were mentioned as potentially life-saving because of their ability to improve the immune system and actually alter the viruses effect on the body. These nutrients included high doses of vitamin C, zinc, b-12, selenium, vitamin A and some botanical substances like Mushrooms, garlic and phytonutrients found in bright color foods.

Protocol 1 for prophylactic use of nutrients...Zinc - Adults 25 mgs - children 10 mgsVitamin C - Adults 3,000 mgs - children 1,000 mgsVitamin A - Adults 20,000 iu's - children 10,000 iu'sor Beta Carotene - Adults 60 mgs - children 30 mgs( Program can be taken for the long term, divided into many doses during the day,with meals)

Protocol 2 for self-treatment...Zinc - Adults 50 mgs - children 20 mgsVitamin C - Adults 6,000 mgs - children 2,000 mgs - Start slow to bowel tolerance level.Vitamin A - Adults 40,000 iu's - children 20,000 iu's - Short term use.or Beta Carotene - Adults 120 mgs - children 60 mgs( Program should be taken more for the short term, divided into many doses during the day,with meals) Do this with the support of your doctor, and or a alternative health professional only.)

Please read the whole report before taking on their program as their are lots of caveats that I am not including in this short review. The full report can be read at the following location and requires The Adobe Reader Program, which is free. The report can be read on their website, located on the right side of their page. http://www.anhcampaign.org/

I personally recommend a Hunter-Gatherer type diet, including lots of proteins from fresh meats and nuts as well as the diet they contend as the best. Remember that fats and proteins are essential daily and support the immune system, but grains, cereals, and most carbohydrates are non essential, and should be in the form of low glycemic vegetables, fruits and nuts.

On a personal note, I have been on a program for over 25 years that exceeds their nutrient suggestions as a life extension program, and it has created an extremely strong immune system.

Let's all take charge of our own health, when ever possible, as no one cares more about you and your wellbeing, than you do.CWChristopher Wiechert, C.N.C.Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility.Visit our website at: www.cwiechert.comHave your nutritional questions answered by e-mail: www.cwiechert.com/QAMAIL.html

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

10/05/2006- Lipid Nutrition is today announcing the findings of a new human trial using CLA, that reinforces the fatty acid’s fat mass reduction claim and shed light on the main locations of the fat reduction on the human body. Lipid Nutrition is today announcing the findings of a new human trial using CLA, that reinforces the fatty acid’s fat mass reduction claim and shed light on the main locations of the fat reduction on the human body. The results, presented by Dr Sandra Einerhand, director nutrition and toxicology Europe, at Vitafoods in Geneva, reinforce the ingredient’s promotional claim to be a body shaper – especially for the upper leg and abdomen areas.

CLA (conjugated linolenic acid) is a fatty acid naturally present in ruminant meat and dairy products. Due to changes in the Western diet, average intake of CLA has fallen; if the fat is removed from a dairy product to make a low fat version that will be acceptable to consumers, CLA is removed along with it.

Dr Einerhand explained that CLA is metabolised by bacteria in the stomachs of cows from the grass they eat, but modern farming methods may mean they are not left outside to graze for as long as they were in days gone by.This has led nutraceutical companies to research and promote CLA for use in dietary supplement and food products, largely based on its two-fold effect on humans: the reduction of fat mass and the induction of lean body mass.

The mechanism of action has been well studied: if fat consumed is not used for energy, the triglycerides are taken up by fat cells – a mechanism for which the enzyme lipoprotein lipase is responsible.

CLA inhibits this enzyme, and instead the triglycerides are diverted to the muscle cells to be burnt. Here the CLA induces the activity of another enzyme, carnitine palmitoyl transferase, which is responsible for oxidation and the burning of fat.

The new placebo-controlled, randomised, double-blind study was conducted at an independent research institute and involved 180 obese or overweight adults with a body mass index between 28 and 32.

Over a six month period they received either 3.4g of CLA each day, or a placebo (olive oil).Dr Einerhand said that the results were already evident eight to 12 weeks into the study, but at the end of the six months the effect on fat mass was seen to be around 2kg compared to the placebo – equivalent to eight packs of butter.Lean body mass was seen to increase by an average of 0.4kg in the CLA group, over the placebo group.

But the area in which the study really shed light is the location of fat mass reduction – seen to be focused on the abdomen and the legs. This gives credence to the ingredient’s promotional claims to be a body shaper.

Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility.

Saturday, May 06, 2006

Recent research in the area Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, (ADHD), shows that 3% to 5% of our children here in the U.S. suffer from this difficult problem. Symptoms of this disorder include short attention span, inability to complete tasks, hyperactivity, and a tendency to interrupt others. In addition to these behavioral issues, nearly 25% of these children suffer from one or more specific learning disabilities in math, spelling, or reading. Most parents of children with ADD/ADHD report feelings of frustration because they know their kids are quite bright in spite of the evident behavior. So here is the critical question…Are these children deficient in Ridlin, the drug of choice these days, or is something natural missing from their diets?

Since 1995, many reputable studies around the world have suggested that ADD and ADHD are actually caused by a deficiency in certain essential fatty acids and not necessarily disorders requiring drug therapy. A study first reported in 1995, conducted at Purdue University, linked a sub-clinical deficiency in a long chain fatty acid derived from fish, called Docosahexaenoic Acid, or DHA, as responsible for the abnormal behavior of children with ADD/ADHD.

In 1997, Dr. Barbara Levine, Professor of Nutrition in Medicine at Cornell University, sounded the alarm that most Americans were grossly deficient in DHA because of a lack of enough fish in the American diet. DHA is the building block of human brain tissue and is very abundant in the gray matter of the brain and the retina of the eye. Low levels of DHA in adults have also recently been associated with many health issues such as depression, memory loss, dementia and visual problems.

It turns out that the DHA of an infant’s brain triples during the first 3 months of life. Lactating mothers and women who are pregnant should make sure that they are getting optimal levels of DHA during that crucial time period. Unfortunately, according to Dr. Levine, the average DHA content of breast milk in the U.S. is the smallest in the world, most likely due to our low intake of fish, relative to other countries. Making matters worse, she tells us that the U.S. is the only country in the world where infant formulas are not fortified with DHA. This, despite the fact that in 1995, the World Health Organization recommended that all baby formulas should provide at least 40mg of DHA per kilo of infant body weight. Dr. Levine believes that postpartum depression, ADD, ADHD, and low IQ’s are all linked to the dismally low intake of DHA in the U.S.

Have you ever wondered why more male children are diagnosed with ADD/ADHD compared with girls? Researchers at the School of Medicine at the University of Auckland discovered that male animals require 3 times as much essential fatty acids as do females in order to achieve normal neonatal infant development. Their studies also confirm that blood analysis of ADD/ADHD kids showed significantly depressed levels of DHA, and in most cases, low levels of zinc, an important trace mineral known for improving learning.

For many health reasons, americans should eat cold-water fish like salmon or mackerel at least 3 times per week, or consider supplementing with up to 850mg of concentrated fish oil from a reputable source, as many scientists are suggesting.

Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility.

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

The nation's largest beverage distributors have agreed to halt nearly all soda sales to public schools, according to a deal announced Wednesday by the William J. Clinton Foundation.Under the agreement, the companies have agreed to sell only water, unsweetened juice and low-fat milks to elementary and middle schools, said Jay Carson, a spokesman for former President Bill Clinton. Diet sodas would be sold only to high schools.Cadbury Schweppes PLC, Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc. and the American Beverage Association have all signed onto the deal, Carson said, adding that the companies serve "the vast majority of schools." The American Beverage Association represents the majority of school vending bottlers.The deal follows a wave of regulation by school districts and state legislatures to cut back on student consumption of soda amid reports of rising childhood obesity rates. Soda has been a particular target of those fighting obesity because of its caloric content and popularity among children."It's a bold and sweeping step that industry and childhood obesity advocates have decided to take together," Carson said.A man who answered the phone at Cadbury Schweppes' London headquarters said no one was available for comment. Calls seeking comment from the other distributors were not immediately returned early Wednesday.Nearly 35 million students nationwide will be affected by the deal, The Alliance for a Healthier Generation said in a news release. The group, a collaboration between Clinton's foundation and the American Heart Association, helped broker the deal."This is really the beginning of a major effort to modify childhood obesity at the level of the school systems," said Robert H. Eckel, president of the American Heart Association.Under the agreement, high schools will still be able to purchase drinks such as diet and unsweetened teas, diet sodas, sports drinks, flavored water, seltzer and low-calorie sports drinks from distributors.School sales of those kinds of drinks have been on the rise in recent years, while regular soda purchases by students have been falling, according to an ABA report released in December. But regular soda is still the most popular drink among students, accounting for 45 percent of beverages sold in schools in 2005, the report said.The agreement applies to beverages sold for use on school grounds during the regular and extended school day, Carson said. Sales during after-school activities such as clubs, yearbook, band and choir practice will be affected by the new regulations. But sales at events such as school plays, band concerts and sporting events, where adults make up a significant portion of the audience, won't be affected, he said.How quickly the changes take hold will depend in part on individual school districts' willingness to alter existing contracts, the alliance said. The companies will work to implement the changes at 75 percent of the nation's public schools by the 2008-2009 school year, and at all public schools a year later.Many school districts around the country have already begun to replace soda and candy in vending machines with healthier items, and dozens of states have considered legislation on school nutrition this year.The agreement follows an August decision by the American Beverage Association to adopt a policy limiting soft drinks in high schools to no more than 50 percent of the selections in vending machines. That recommendation was not binding.

Comment: In order to understand what happens when someone becomes resistant to insulin, we must review the role insulin and its balancing hormone, glucagon, play in the body. When we eat, our bodies break down the food into its basic components - protein (amino acids), carbohydrate (glucose), fat (fatty acids), which are then absorbed into the bloodstream. It is important to realize that carbohydrate has a far greater effect on raising blood sugar (glucose) than fat or protein. A rise in blood sugar signals the pancreas to make and release insulin. Insulin secretion should promptly return blood sugar levels to a normal fasting level within two hours after eating. This occurs as insulin transports glucose out of the blood stream, across the cell membrane, and into cells where it is either burned for energy, stored as fat in fat cells or stored as glycogen (a storage form of glucose) in muscle. Fat travels in the blood in the form of a molecule called triglyceride. A triglyceride is composed of three fatty acid molecules. When a triglyceride in the blood reaches a cell, enzymes at the surface of the cell break down the molecule and the fatty acids can enter the cell. Once inside the cell, an amino acid, L-carnitine helps shuttle the fatty acids into a fat burning factory inside the cell called the mitochondria. Although fat is able to enter the cell without using insulin to transport it like glucose must, insulin blocks this fat-carnitine system and thereby keeps the fat from entering the mitochondria where it would be burned for energy production. Insulin pushes the fatty acids back into triglycerides and out of the cell encouraging the storage of fat in adipose (fatty) tissue. In short, excess insulin directly creates obesity.

CW

Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility.

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Christopher Wiechert,CNC is a consultant in the field of Ortho-Molecular, Nutrigenomic, Regenerative and Anti-Aging Nutrition, and the owner of Wiechert Enterprises, a Consulting and Research Development Company serving the US, Canada and The World.
He has over 40 years of experience.
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Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition.